Whether you’re been running marathons for years and want to tick the Boston Marathon off your list, or you’ve just recently gotten into running and want to try your very first long distance run attempt, the Boston marathon is one of the most famous marathons in the USA, and on the bucket list of many running enthusiasts all over the world.
The only question is, how do you qualify for the Boston Marathon? If you’re currently in this boat and want to qualify for the big race – rest assured that you have clicked on the right article!
To help ensure that you have the best chances of qualifying for the marathon, we are going to be sharing with you everything that you need to know about qualifying for the Boston marathon.
Along the way, we are also going to be sharing some additional information that will help to make sure that you are able to experience an enjoyable and stress-free application and qualifying experience.
From learning what the rules are by age and gender, how to register correctly, all the way to cut-off times – we’ve made sure to cover all bases in this article.
So, without further ado, whenever you’re ready, just keep reading!
What Are The Boston Marathon Rules By Age And Gender?
If you are thinking about running in the Boston marathon, it is important to keep in mind that there are a few when it comes to qualifying for the Boston Marathon, there are two main categories:
Male – Must be between 18 and 70 years old on race day.
Female – Must be between 17 and 69 years old on race day
If you fall into one of these two main categories, you can go ahead and apply for the qualifying race.
There are many ways that this can be done, including via online application, an application that can be mailed, an application via email as well as an application that can be submitted through a running agent.
Keep in mind that in some instances, runners over the age of 70 may be eligible to run, which we will cover further down in this guide.
Once you have completed the application form via your chosen method, you will then need to wait to receive confirmation of whether you have been accepted or not for the qualifying race class you fall within.
If you do get accepted, you will then be able to sign up for the appropriate qualifying run.
Once you have done this, you can then go ahead and book the qualifying run once you receive confirmation from the Boston marathon board, where you will receive additional information about the qualifying race day, when to show up, what to bring and more.
Qualifying Times For Male And Female Runners
Male runners must be between the ages of 18 and 70 on race day.
They must have run at least two half marathons within the last three years, and they must have finished a full marathon within the past eight years.
Females must be between the ages of 17 and 69 on race day. They, too, must have run at least 2 half marathons within the last 3 years, and they must finish a full marathon within the last 8 years.
Qualifying Times For Male And Females Aged 70+
For mature runners who wish to partake in the event, the good news is that there aren’t any qualifying times required for those who want to run in the Boston marathon and are aged over 70 years at the time of applying.
However, while there aren’t any set qualifying events for mature runners to reach, keep in mind that a “fit for running” check may be required by the Boston marathon in order to ensure all runners safety prior to embarking on the marathon.
With that being said, if you would like to run in the Boston marathon and you are currently aged 70 years or older, then we recommend reaching out to the Boston Marathon directly to find out more information regarding whether or not you will be eligible to partake in the race.
To do this, we recommend contacting a Boston Marathon representative via their helpline, or alternatively sending them an email to find out more information regarding male and female runners aged 70 or older that wish to participate in the race.
Qualifying Time Cut Off
Along with all of the above, it is also important to remember that there will be a cut-off time for each race class that each runner wishing to qualify for the race will need to either meet or exceed.
Wondering why there is a cut-off time? Well, in recent times there have been some instances where the number of applicants who have pre-qualified for the race has exceeded the field capacity for all runners to be able to safely participate in the race.
This has then led to some racers being unfairly made to withdraw from the race in order to ensure safety regulations are met.
So, in order to make sure that everything is kept fair and square and unnecessary withdrawals are avoided, a cut-off time is created by the Boston Marathon board each year.
This is calculated by subtracting a certain calculated number from each individual runner’s race qualifying time, and then an average cut-off time is created for each race class.
From there, all runners who fall outside of the cut-off time will be unable to qualify for the race, and will need to reapply the following year.
Wrapping Up
There we have it! We hope that this article helps you better understand how to qualify for the Boston Marathon, as well as some of the other important things that you will need to know about when applying for the chance to qualify for the race.
We hope that this has been helpful to you, and good luck qualifying!
Hi, I’m Richard Harris and I have been running for almost 20 years now. Since a young teenager with a little baby fat still clinging on for dear life, I have been obsessed with this simple form of cardio.
Not only have I enjoyed running every single day for two decades, but I have also been fascinated by the countless marathons and races offered around the USA. I love watching these races, and I’ve even participated in some of them too!
